He has Twitter address ((@Spokesbird), a Facebook page (Sirocco Kakapo), a website, and an official role as spokesbird for conservation. He is the new face of the Department of Conservation which until now, it admits, appealed predominantly to the grey-haired among us, said spokesman Rory Newsam.

And in other terrific news from Stuff, seven young kakapo chicks have been returned to Codfish Island after being hand-reared on the New Zealand mainland. The hatchings this year bring the total number of Kakapo up to 131.

Kakapo Recovery Programme leader Deidre Vercoe Scott said the seven chicks had all reached a healthy weight, between 1.3kg and 1.8kg.

"They've all done fantastic. Some initially had minor illnesses which is very normal, but they got over those very quickly."